United Kingdom VII: Taking Pride in Your Success

[Neon Ignition]

Another 1-2 weeks and we should have our answer. New cases are skyrocketing with a 40%+ increase rate per week having been built up and rising. Hospitalisations and deaths usually lag case rises so it's waiting time but so far both are steady. Likely there are more cases than recorded too as testing appears to have taken a real nosedive of late. Another fortnight and we should either have definitively established the link with serious illness is broken or restrictions returning as inevitable.

[fishbowlhead]

Only a matter of weeks now until cases explode. Cool. Good group effort country.

[Neon Ignition]

Just had a check and it seems like we're approaching the real make or break point for hospitalisations/deaths where we'll see whether vaccination rates have reached the required levels.

Hospitalisations are falling still but now only at a rate of 0.3%
Deaths are also still falling but now only at a rate of 1.7%

New cases are now rising at a rate of 49% - If that holds this week we should see a new peak at some point of around 6,700 new cases in a day, if the tide is going to begin to turn on the other two figures it should be very small but should see both hospitalisations and deaths flip thos '-' symbols into '+'

[Asura]

Only a matter of weeks now until cases explode. Cool. Good group effort country.

Although I share your exasperation, that's not really how it works.

We'll ultimately know if the vaccination programme has worked when cases explode, but deaths/hospitalisations barely move the needle (or maybe even drop). Because even when vaccinated, people can still get COVID, but the symptoms are manageable for the vast majority of people.

I would still prefer they push the date back though.

[Dogg Thang]

While minimising the effects if you get it is fantastic, you know that’s not the aim of the vaccine, right? You know that high figures in the population is not a sign that it’s working as planned? The aim is that people don’t get it.

[Neon Ignition]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2021/jun/07/uk-politics-live-news-covid-coronavirus-boris-johnson-vote-cuts-aid-budget-delta-variant-latest-updates

The vote on cutting foreign aid is close to hand with Johnson close to facing defeat on the motion, some MP's say whatever the outcome the damage is done. Personally, I'm doubtful this one imposes any real damage at all on the UK or Johnson. It's been mooted for months now so other nations will be familiar already with the UK's position assuming that wasn't already clear following Brexit, and I'm very doubtful the motion doesn't have the majority of the voters behind it too.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jun/07/scientists-urge-caution-after-tony-blair-backs-uk-covid-pass

Tony Blair has called for a Vaccine Pass for double dosers to be able to continue with their freedoms. Scientists have rebuffed his calls saying its an idea that is too early and that no good can come from effectively creating a two tier class system via the pass.

[Neon Ignition]

https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/

Nearly 5,700 cases today, to frame that it's 2,300 more than last week - cases now rising by 52.9%

Deaths still broadly flat, hospitalisations haven't been updated in 6 days

[Golgo]

BBC at it again with another back-to-office '5 Day Week to Become the Norm Again' article, sourced to an urban-capitalist thinktank and yet another hawker of office real estate: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57339105

[fishbowlhead]

People have 5 day weeks? Ha. I haven’t seen a 5 day work week for 10 years, 6 days of 10 hours a day min.

[Hirst]

They can say it as much as they like, it doesn't make it true. Getting away from that open plan office has been great for my productivity, the quality of work and my own personal happiness. I've not had to listen to other people rambling on about who won on Celebrity Dog Botherer, put up with the stink of fish in the microwave, constantly getting broken off and having to restart things as I forgot where I was.

I go in there once a week and it serves as a great reminder of why I don't enjoy being there. Good riddance to the open plan office and the attention-seeking twerps who thrived in it.

[MartyG]

BBC at it again with another back-to-office '5 Day Week to Become the Norm Again' article, sourced to an urban-capitalist thinktank and yet another hawker of office real estate: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57339105

Seems like a perfectly reasonably article to me.

Jessica Bowles, director of strategy at commercial property developer Bruntwood, told the BBC her firm has also seen a lot of demand for flexible and serviced office space on short leases.

"We've had really strong take-up. People want flexible terms.

"What's interesting is that it's corporates wanting to do that as well as small businesses and SMEs."

There will be a shift back to the office for a lot of people (as a lot of people want it and I think there will be pressure from many firms on their staff to return), there will be hybrid working and people working from home (my job is now fully remote) as the article points out. Nowhere in there is the BBC expressing or stating that everyone will be working in the office 5 days a week.

[fishbowlhead]

People want to work less. In other shocking news the water is wet.

[Golgo]

Seems like a perfectly reasonably article to me.



There will be a shift back to the office for a lot of people (as a lot of people want it and I think there will be pressure from many firms on their staff to return), there will be hybrid working and people working from home (my job is now fully remote) as the article points out. Nowhere in there is the BBC expressing or stating that everyone will be working in the office 5 days a week.

Did they not present the points you highlight as a transitional period before return to full in-person work patterns, or did I imagine it?

[MartyG]

You imagined it.

But the prospect of a post-Covid mass return to the office - on even a hybrid basis - will not necessarily be universally welcomed by employees.

Staff at Apple reportedly launched a campaign to push back against boss Tim Cook's plans for workers to be in the office at least three days a week by September.

[Neon Ignition]

10 days till I'm fully office based unless government advice changes. I don't really mind to be honest, but it's the lack of flexibility that's probably the biggest frustration. There's really no reason why if it would work better for me to be at home one day where I have a short appointment to work around or need to do a specific task that is more efficient at home without office distractions that I can't do it other than being told no and to stay in the office be less efficient for the sake of it.